Weekly Photo Challenge: One Tree

We have a quirky tree that grows along the side of our driveway. At one time it was nearly choked to death with ivy growing up its trunk. It has a strange spiky trunk and a few broken branches that jut out in odd directions. But it is that very character that draws my attention to it almost every day. And it makes a perfect frame for varying light and sky conditions. I have tons of photos of this one tree. I took this one earlier in the week when I noticed that it was blooming…and the sun was reflecting off the leaves.

A few days before that I was noticing the sun, bright and summer-like, a very different kind of glow.

We had a foggy morning recently…and I had to stop as I got ready to get in my car to head to work to pull out my phone and capture the mistiness in a photograph. I love the way the morning sun creates an almost silhouette effect

Sometimes this one tree is the perfect frame for the sherbet colors of sunset, with soft and wispy clouds.

Or with the reds and pinks of a clearer sky. (You may also be noticing that the tree wasn’t in bloom for these pictures.)

The moon sometimes peeks through its branches, partially hidden in the milky white clouds.

Gray clouds with just a splash of blue appeared on one of those rare stormy days.

And the white puffballs look so soft you can almost feel them against the brilliant blue of the sky on this day.

There is just something about the twists and turns of the branches of this one tree that creates interesting angles and draws my eye. It reminds me to look up, to pay attention to the light, to the clouds, to the moon…and more.

So, this week be on the lookout for your one tree (or one building or one hillside or one street corner) and document how it changes in different light, in different weather, at different times of the day or night.

You can post your photo alone or along with some words: commentary, a story, a poem…maybe even a song! I love to study the photographs that others’ take and think about how I can use a technique, an angle, or their inspiration to try something new in my own photography. (I love a great mentor text…or mentor photo, in this case!) I share my photography and writing on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Twitter using @kd0602. If you share your photos and writing on social media too, please let me know so I can follow and see what you are doing. To help our Weekly Photo community find each other, use the hashtag #onetree for this week and include @nwpianthology in your post.

Fine your one tree (or one something else) this week and spend some time noticing and documenting. I can’t wait to see what you learn when you pay close attention to your #onetree.